Changes

==== Structure of Rigveda ====

==== Structure of Rigveda ====

* Shakala samhita is the one surviving shaka available completely in Rig veda.<ref>Pt. Shriram Adhikari's Article : ''[http://vedicheritage.gov.in/pdf/ved_vedang_gp_14.pdf Rigved ka parichay evam vaishistya]'' on Vedic Heritage Portal</ref>  

* Shakala samhita is the one surviving shaka available completely in Rig veda.<ref>Pt. Shriram Adhikari's Article : ''[http://vedicheritage.gov.in/pdf/ved_vedang_gp_14.pdf Rigved ka parichay evam vaishistya]'' on Vedic Heritage Portal</ref>  

* [[Veda Vargeekarana (वेदवर्गीकरणम्)|Veda Vargeekarana]] of Rig Samhita includes the vibhajana (classification) of Rig Veda into Mandalas and Astakas.   

* [[Veda Vargeekarana (वेदवर्गीकरणम्)|Veda Vargeekarana]] of Rig Samhita includes the vibhajana (classification) of Rig Veda into Mandalas and Ashtakas apart from elucidating the nature of Valakhilya Suktas.   

* The Samhita of the Rigveda thus comprises of 10 ''Mandalas'', 85 ''Anuvakas'', 1028 ''Suktas'' and 10552 ''Mantras''. Usually ''Anuvaka'' is not mentioned for the reference of a Mantra of the Rigveda. For example Rig. Veda. 3.16.7 simply means the seventh Mantra of the sixteenth ''Sukta'' of the third ''Mandala'' of the Rigveda.  

* The Samhita of the Rigveda in general comprises of 10 ''Mandalas'', 85 ''Anuvakas'', 1028 ''Suktas'' and 10552 ''Mantras''. Usually ''Anuvaka'' is not mentioned for the reference of a Mantra of the Rigveda. For example Rig. Veda. 3.16.7 simply means the seventh Mantra of the sixteenth ''Sukta'' of the third ''Mandala'' of the Rigveda.  

* [[Vedic Language (वैदिकभाषा)|Vedic Language]] of Rigveda is believed to be the oldest even among the four vedas.  

* [[Vedic Language (वैदिकभाषा)|Vedic Language]] of Rigveda is believed to be the oldest even among the four vedas.  

* Taittriya Samhita emphasizes that practicing of karmas by the prescribed procedures given by Riks is stronger and those practiced by following the साम and यजुः will disintegrate.<ref name=":4">Upadhyaya, Baldev. (1958) ''[https://archive.org/details/VaidikSahityaBaldevUpadhyaya1958 Vaidik Sahitya]''. </ref>  

* Taittriya Samhita emphasizes that practicing of karmas by the prescribed procedures given by Rks is stronger and those practiced by following the साम and यजुः will disintegrate.<ref name=":4">Upadhyaya, Baldev. (1958) ''[https://archive.org/details/VaidikSahityaBaldevUpadhyaya1958 Vaidik Sahitya]''. </ref>  

<blockquote>यद् वै यज्ञस्य साम्ना यजुषा क्रियते शिथिलं तत् । यद् ऋचा तद् दृढम् । (Tait. Samh. 6.5.10.3)<ref>Taittriya Samhita ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E2%80%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%AC/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AB Kanda 6 Prapathaka 5])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>yad vai yajñasya sāmnā yajuṣā kriyatē śithilaṁ tat । yad r̥cā tad dr̥ḍham । (Tait. Samh. 6.5.10.3)</blockquote>

<blockquote>यद् वै यज्ञस्य साम्ना यजुषा क्रियते शिथिलं तत् । यद् ऋचा तद् दृढम् । (Tait. Samh. 6.5.10.3)<ref>Taittriya Samhita ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E2%80%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%AC/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AB Kanda 6 Prapathaka 5])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>yad vai yajñasya sāmnā yajuṣā kriyatē śithilaṁ tat । yad r̥cā tad dr̥ḍham । (Tait. Samh. 6.5.10.3)</blockquote>

==== Origin of Rig Samhita ====

==== Origin of Rig Samhita ====

Purusha sukta states that Richas (ऋचाः) arose from the Thousand-headed Purusha (स॒हस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः) who is yajna-swaroopa Himself.<blockquote>तस्माद्यज्ञात्सर्वहुत ऋच: सामानि जज्ञिरे । छन्दांसि जज्ञिरे तस्माद्यजुस्तस्मादजायत ॥९॥ (Rig. Veda. 10.90.9)<ref>Rig Veda ([http://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/rigveda/shakala-samhita/rigveda-shakala-samhita-mandal-10-sukta-090/ Mandala 10 Sukta 90])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>tasmādyajñātsarvahuta r̥ca: sāmāni jajñirē । chandāṁsi jajñirē tasmādyajustasmādajāyata ॥9॥ (Rig. Veda. 10.90.9)</blockquote>

Purusha sukta states that Richas (ऋचाः) arose from the Thousand-headed Purusha (स॒हस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः) who is yajna-swaroopa Himself.<blockquote>तस्माद्यज्ञात्सर्वहुत ऋच: सामानि जज्ञिरे । छन्दांसि जज्ञिरे तस्माद्यजुस्तस्मादजायत ॥९॥ (Rig. Veda. 10.90.9)<ref>Rig Veda ([http://vedicheritage.gov.in/samhitas/rigveda/shakala-samhita/rigveda-shakala-samhita-mandal-10-sukta-090/ Mandala 10 Sukta 90])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>tasmādyajñātsarvahuta r̥ca: sāmāni jajñirē । chandāṁsi jajñirē tasmādyajustasmādajāyata ॥9॥ (Rig. Veda. 10.90.9)</blockquote>

* Every ''Mantra'' has a ''Rishi (Mantra Drashta),'' a ''Devata (deity)'' and a ''Chandas (meter)''. 

 

* Mantras are revealed to several rishis called Mantra Drashtas including some brahmavaadinis like Lopamudra and Vak Ambhrni.  

 

==== '''स्तुतिपराः || Eulogical''' ====

The first group is in praise of the deities like Agni, lndra, Varuna, Mitra and others. The Vedic deities numbering 33 are assigned to the three regions of the universe  viz. पृथ्वी || Prithvi (earth), द्यौस् || Dyaus (heaven) and अन्तरिक्षम् || Antariksha (intermediary space). Although these deities appear as personifications of forces of nature, they are actually different facets of ब्रह्मन् ॥ Brahman, the Only One Supreme Reality. The famous mantra on this point occurs in this Samhita. <blockquote>एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्यग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानमाहुः ॥४६॥ ||  (Rig. Ved. 1.164.46)<ref>Rig Veda ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7.%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AC%E0%A5%AA Mandala 1 Sukta 164])</ref></blockquote>Meaning : Truth is one, learned call it by various names.

==== '''उपासनापराः ॥ Philosophical''' ====

 

For example, the Samhita states that प्रजापतिः ॥ Prajapati creates the world out of Himself and rules over it; He is omnipresent (present everywhere), omnipotent (all powerful) and omniscient (all knowing). He is ever perfect, infinitely compassionate, easily approachable by the devotees and He grants us immortality. But the idea about actual process of creation of the universe finds a place only in the later Vedantic literature i.e. the उपनिषदः ॥ [[Upanishads]]. The concept of ब्रह्मन् ॥ Brahman is clearer in the Upanishad parts.

==== '''इतिहासपराः ॥ Miscellaneous''' ====

The third group deals with several secular subjects like marriage, war etc., which show the nature of society of those times. A just and equitable social order existed. However, social life was conditioned by spiritual consciousness. There was समन्वयः || Samanvaya or harmony of life here and hereafter. सत्यम् || Satya (truth) and धर्मः || Dharma (righteousness) are glorified and अमृतत्वम् || Amritatva (immortality) as the goal of life was accepted.

 

* It begins with a sukta to Agni and concludes with a sukta to the same deity. Agni sukta (01.01.01) by Rushi : Madhucchanda Visvamitra, Devata : Agni, Chandas: Gayatri goes as follows<blockquote>"''अग्निसूक्तम् in प्रथमं मण्डलम्।''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''९ मधुच्छन्दा वैश्वामित्रः । अग्निः।  गायत्री।'' "</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निमी॑ळे पु॒रोहि॑तं य॒ज्ञस्य॑ दे॒वमृ॒त्विज॑म् । होता॑रं रत्न॒धात॑मम् ॥१''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निः पूर्वे॑भि॒र्ऋषि॑भि॒रीड्यो॒ नूत॑नैरु॒त । स दे॒वाँ एह व॑क्षति ॥२''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निना॑ र॒यिम॑श्नव॒त् पोष॑मे॒व दि॒वेदि॑वे । य॒शसं॑ वी॒रव॑त्तमम् ॥३''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अग्ने॒ यं य॒ज्ञम॑ध्व॒रं वि॒श्वत॑: परि॒भूरसि॑ । स इद् दे॒वेषु॑ गच्छति ॥४''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निर्होता॑ क॒विक्र॑तुः स॒त्यश्चि॒त्रश्र॑वस्तमः । दे॒वो दे॒वेभि॒रा ग॑मत् ॥५''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''यद॒ङ्ग दा॒शुषे॒ त्वमग्ने॑ भ॒द्रं क॑रि॒ष्यसि॑ । तवेत् तत् स॒त्यम॑ङ्गिरः ॥६''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''उप॑ त्वाग्ने दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ दोषा॑वस्तर्धि॒या व॒यम् । नमो॒ भर॑न्त॒ एम॑सि ॥७''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''राज॑न्तमध्व॒राणां॑ गो॒पामृ॒तस्य॒ दीदि॑विम् । वर्ध॑मानं॒ स्वे दमे॑ ॥८''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''स न॑: पि॒तेव॑ सू॒नवे ऽग्ने॑ सूपाय॒नो भ॑व । सच॑स्वा नः स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥९''"</blockquote>As seen in the above example, the Vedic mantras are notated with lines above and below the letters which indicate the svara or tone of the particular letter in which it has to be uttered. The information about Vedic Language, the tones and accents used are explained in Siksha part of the [[Shad Vedangas (षड्वेदाङ्गानि)|Vedaangas]]. This division of the Rigveda is most popular and systematic. There is also the ashtaka system of dividing the contents of the Rigveda, but today that is uncommon among the students of the Veda.The value of the Rigveda today is not confined to India, for its well-preserved language and mythology have helped a better understanding of languages, literatures and cultures of the whole world.  

* It begins with a sukta to Agni and concludes with a sukta to the same deity. Agni sukta (01.01.01) by Rushi : Madhucchanda Visvamitra, Devata : Agni, Chandas: Gayatri goes as follows<blockquote>"''अग्निसूक्तम् in प्रथमं मण्डलम्।''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''९ मधुच्छन्दा वैश्वामित्रः । अग्निः।  गायत्री।'' "</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निमी॑ळे पु॒रोहि॑तं य॒ज्ञस्य॑ दे॒वमृ॒त्विज॑म् । होता॑रं रत्न॒धात॑मम् ॥१''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निः पूर्वे॑भि॒र्ऋषि॑भि॒रीड्यो॒ नूत॑नैरु॒त । स दे॒वाँ एह व॑क्षति ॥२''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निना॑ र॒यिम॑श्नव॒त् पोष॑मे॒व दि॒वेदि॑वे । य॒शसं॑ वी॒रव॑त्तमम् ॥३''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अग्ने॒ यं य॒ज्ञम॑ध्व॒रं वि॒श्वत॑: परि॒भूरसि॑ । स इद् दे॒वेषु॑ गच्छति ॥४''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''अ॒ग्निर्होता॑ क॒विक्र॑तुः स॒त्यश्चि॒त्रश्र॑वस्तमः । दे॒वो दे॒वेभि॒रा ग॑मत् ॥५''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''यद॒ङ्ग दा॒शुषे॒ त्वमग्ने॑ भ॒द्रं क॑रि॒ष्यसि॑ । तवेत् तत् स॒त्यम॑ङ्गिरः ॥६''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''उप॑ त्वाग्ने दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ दोषा॑वस्तर्धि॒या व॒यम् । नमो॒ भर॑न्त॒ एम॑सि ॥७''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''राज॑न्तमध्व॒राणां॑ गो॒पामृ॒तस्य॒ दीदि॑विम् । वर्ध॑मानं॒ स्वे दमे॑ ॥८''"</blockquote><blockquote>"''स न॑: पि॒तेव॑ सू॒नवे ऽग्ने॑ सूपाय॒नो भ॑व । सच॑स्वा नः स्व॒स्तये॑ ॥९''"</blockquote>As seen in the above example, the Vedic mantras are notated with lines above and below the letters which indicate the svara or tone of the particular letter in which it has to be uttered. The information about Vedic Language, the tones and accents used are explained in Siksha part of the [[Shad Vedangas (षड्वेदाङ्गानि)|Vedaangas]]. This division of the Rigveda is most popular and systematic. There is also the ashtaka system of dividing the contents of the Rigveda, but today that is uncommon among the students of the Veda.The value of the Rigveda today is not confined to India, for its well-preserved language and mythology have helped a better understanding of languages, literatures and cultures of the whole world.